NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is said to be nearing a decision with regard to the appeal of Tom Brady’s four-game suspension. And if that decision involves Brady missing even one regular season game, the New England Patriots quarterback is likely prepared to go to federal court.
Ryan Smith of ABC News reports that Brady will not accept a reduced suspension. Instead, his camp is prepared to challenge Goodell’s ruling in federal court if the suspension is not overturned completely.
Previous reports have indicated that Brady truly believes he has done nothing wrong. There is a growing sense of belief that the four-time Super Bowl champion will be on the field for Week 1 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, whether that’s by way of an overturned suspension or a temporary injunction.
Many still believe there is a decent chance that Brady’s suspension could be thrown out completely. The most incriminating information produced by the Ted Wells report came in the form of these text messages, which likely wouldn’t hold up as evidence against Brady in an actual court of law. The NFL likely came down hard on Brady because he refused to turn over his cell phone during the investigation, but it’s possible that Brady was more transparent during his appeal.
I’ve said this more than a handful of times and I’ll continue to say it until Goodell makes a final ruling — something has to be up with Goodell and Patriots owner Robert Kraft making amends so quickly. Kraft went from bashing the Wells report in a lengthy rebuttal (which included one of the worst excuses you’ll ever hear) to accepting the league’s punishment for the “best interests” of all 32 NFL teams. Don’t be surprised if some sort of deal has been reached.
